Brandon Foster

I keep a stack of coloring books on my nightstand, and they have quietly become my favorite tool for unwinding after a long day. After months of testing different titles, swapping recommendations with fellow colorists, and comparing paper stock under my favorite gel pens, I pulled together this guide to the best coloring books for … Read more

I still remember the first time my daughter pointed a telescope at Saturn and whispered, “Daddy, I can see the rings.” That single moment turned a casual gift into a five-year astronomy journey for our family, and it taught me one hard truth: the telescope you choose for a child shapes whether astronomy becomes a … Read more

Last February, I got stuck on an unplowed mountain road near Lake Tahoe with my rear-wheel-drive pickup. I had brand-new all-season tires and zero traction. A passing Subaru driver stopped, helped me wrestle a set of borrowed chains onto my rear tires, and I crawled down the pass at 25 mph with my knuckles white. … Read more

I spent six weeks roasting everything from weeknight chickens to a 22-pound Thanksgiving turkey to find the best hard anodized roasting pans with racks on the market. Hard anodized aluminum has become my go-to recommendation for home cooks because it combines the heat distribution of aluminum with a surface that’s far more durable than standard … Read more

I burned three trays of brownies in a row before I admitted my problem: I owned six random pans from three different brands, none of them matched, and every one warped the moment I pushed past 400°F. That frustrating weekend sent me down a rabbit hole testing bakeware sets for the next two months. This … Read more

After eight weekends of testing popcorn machines with my own family (two adults, three kids under 10), one model earned the crown as the best popcorn machine for family movie nights: the Great Northern Popcorn Matinee 8oz. It hits every mark we care about. It produces up to 48 cups per batch, that means enough … Read more

Nothing beats homemade ice cream on a warm afternoon, and after testing eight different countertop ice cream makers over six weeks, I can confidently say the right machine changes everything. Our team churned more than 60 quarts of ice cream, gelato, and sorbet to find which models actually deliver creamy texture without leaving you with … Read more

I’ve been making beef jerky in my kitchen for the better part of a decade. I’ve dried apples from my backyard tree, turned mangoes into chewy snacks, and even experimented with homemade fruit leather for my kids’ lunchboxes. Through all that testing, I’ve learned one thing: the right food dehydrator makes the difference between batches … Read more

I still remember the first time I bit into a fresh, hot tortilla made on a real tortilla press. It changed everything. After 30 days of testing eight of the most popular presses with both store-bought masa harina and homemade nixtamalized masa, I have a clear picture of which tools earn their place on your … Read more

I’ve spent the last two months making pizza almost every night — testing the best cast iron pizza pans on the market to find which ones actually deliver that leopard-spotted, pizzeria-style crispy crust. After dozens of pies, oil splatters, and a few near-burns on my forearms, I can tell you with confidence: a good cast … Read more